SERMON IX.

BY LÖFFLER.

ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

164165

SERMON IX.

ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

GOD, who has formed us for happiness, and who leads us unerringly
to this end by obeying his laws, be with us in this hour! Amen.

My Christian hearers, amongst the important doctrines of religion,
in which we are instructed in our youth and in after-life, that of forgiveness of
sins is unquestionably one of the most momentous. Who is not sensible that he needs
this forgiveness? Who does not wish to be worthy of it and to secure it? And
on what point is the instruction of the Christian religion more express, than concerning the manner in which we ought to reform
ourselves, to seek forgiveness of God,
and to keep ourselves worthy of it? Important, however, as this doctrine is, and
abundant the instruction respecting it, yet it appears as if prejudices of various
kinds prevailed, which have so much the more injurious consequences, as virtuous
zeal is apt to be weakened thereby, and men are placed in a state of 166excessive, and yet fruitless anxiety. The first take; place, when
persons not only consider forgiveness of sins as a gift easily to be obtained, but
are also of opinion, that all, even the natural consequences of sin are done away,
when they feel an assurance of this gift, and a certainty that God is not angry,
and begin to think sin and vice, whose consequences are so easily obviated, less
to be dreaded. Man passes easily from one extreme to the other; and so there are
others, who, influenced by erroneous representations of God, give themselves up
to the most tormenting fears, and tremble before God with the most serious intention
of amendment, and are slow to believe that He, the All-gracious, can be disposed
to forgive. Since we all need pardon of God, and it is desirable that we neither
too readily hope for it, nor expect too much from it, nor give way to too
great apprehensions about it, I think I shall offer somewhat not unworthy of the
attention of all those who are willingly reminded of the essential parts of
religious instruction, if I speak more fully on this important subject, on the
occasion of our Gospel for the day. God grant that we may here also discover the
truth!

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy,
lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven
thee,
&c.

WITHOUT being led by this narrative to enter on the apparently
difficult question, whether Christ could only announce and assure forgiveness of
his sins, like other teachers of religion, to the sick man, who probably suffered
the consequences of his sins in this sickness, and was dejected and sorrowful on
this account; or whether he could really and of his own power forgive them, and
make the punishments attached to them cease; and firmly convinced that he will
have said nothing which is not perfectly correct, and that, devoid of all arrogance,
he will not have attributed more to himself than was actually his right; let us
only make use of this Gospel to remind us of the instruction we have received concerning
forgiveness of sins, to form correct notions of the thing itself, and then to apply
these admitted and lively notions for our information, and for the destruction of
various prejudices. And then, perhaps, the before-mentioned question will be more
easily decided by reflecting persons. But, whilst I speak of the forgiveness of
sins, I shall give an answer to two questions in particular. First, what it is,
and how it is obtained? And, Secondly, 168what effect it has? The first will secure us from too great anxiety,
and the last from a carelessness which is far more injurious than that anxiety.

When we speak of forgiveness of sins, our thoughts turn to God,
who has a right to punish and is said to forgive, and to man, who needs and desires
this forgiveness. The representations that God punishes, that man intreats God for
pardon, and that the punishments of sin are removed, have certainly a character
of truth which human reason must acknowledge, and with which the holy Scripture
agrees. The following seem to be the fundamental notions of this truth. We cannot
look upon this world, in which so much order and connexion prevail, and especially
the moral world to which we, as men, belong, in any other light than as under the
superintendence of a superior Being, by whom it is governed. This government is
carried on according to certain laws, which are no other than the understood moral
precepts of the intellectual world in general, and the human race in particular.
Now as often as man transgresses one of these laws, which, by means of the liberty
granted him, he has the power to do, whether from ignorance, or want of consideration,
or from wilful design, he remains at all times exposed to the consequences, which
the Ruler of the world has attached to such a transgression, and which we are doubtless
justified in calling punishments; and we may assert with reason, that 169
no violation of the Divine commandments, and, therefore, no sin, remains
unpunished. But hence very false notions of God easily arise, especially of
anger and revenge; because we are not able to conceive the Deity otherwise than
as bearing some similarity to us men, and because it is too natural and easy for
us to transfer our affections and passions to God.

These incorrect notions have no little influence on the idea we
form of forgiveness of sins itself, and particularly on the manner of seeking this
forgiveness. For the most part (at least this is the idea of a great number of Christians)
we imagine God in wrath, when man commits an offence, and disposed, not only to
make him feel the natural consequences of sin, but also to inflict on him additional
and eternal penalties; we fancy that his offended Majesty can only be appeased
by satisfaction being made, and that in general God can be moved, not so much
by inward contrition and steady improvement, as by continual and painful,
supplication, slowly and gradually to pardon, to mitigate his anger, and to remove his punishments. Hence men tremble
when they seek forgiveness; hence have they so much anxious fear whether they shall
obtain it; hence they commonly take a wrong method in seeking it; and, chiefly
because they consider punishment as the operation of the wrath of God, promise themselves
a greater effect from it, 170than from the nature of the thing it can possibly have. But this
is founded on extremely erroneous notions, inasmuch as God is never in anger,
and forgiveness must be regarded, not as a change in God, but as a change
in man. Little as we can deny that God disapproves, when man transgresses
the Divine precepts, yet as little ought we to believe that he is angered, that
he is filled with wrath and vengeful feelings against man, and that he is not inclined
to forgive him, and to take away the punishments, as far as the happiness of man
himself permits. For the injunctions and commandments, which God has given to the
world and to us man, are not given for his own sake, but for our happiness. He is
not made happier by the observance, nor less happy by the violation of them; for
his blessedness is independent of the world. When man transgresses them, he injures
only himself; and, therefore, is not an object of hatred and condemnation, but of
regret and compassion, like the unfortunate, who does not regard the warning voice
of a friend. Here also the image of a father teaches us the truest conceptions.
As a wise father enjoins nothing to his child but what is profitable for the child
itself; as he must pity him if he offends against his injunctions and injures himself;
as his corrections serve only to make the evil consequences the more sensibly felt,
and to warn the child the more strictly against a similar transgression; 171as also he is disposed immediately and heartily to
forgive the repentant and intreating child, and to remove the discretionary punishment,
which he had added to the natural consequences; so it is with us men and God. When
man transgresses a command of God, he violates a precept, which God gave him for
his benefit, he does injury to himself, he draws upon himself the prejudicial
consequences which are more or less connected therewith, and prepares his own misfortunes
and his own punishment. But God delights in this punishment as little, as he is
inflamed with passion against men; on the contrary, the only sensation which we
may attribute to God, is compassion, regret, and a wish that man should be converted
and become wiser; and if this takes place, if a man confesses the sins he has committed,
if he purposes to forsake them, if he is really resolved to avoid them, and gives
proofs of his amendment; God is well pleased with this change, and it is scarcely
necessary for a man to implore forgiveness, because God, who knows the heart, already
and before his intreaty, had forgiven him. Yes, we can and indeed must maintain,
that on such occasions no change is effected in God, but only in man; for God,
the immutable, is always inclined to forgive; and it is only requisite for man
to be convinced of this disposition, and to manifest a genuine reformation.

172

These are the representations which reason gives us of
the forgiveness of sins and the manner of obtaining it, and which alone are acknowledged
by her as correct, unless God is to be thought imperfect, and actuated by human
passions. In this view of the subject the instruction of the Gospel, and Christ
himself, who has imparted to us the truest notions of God, coincide. Although our
human language, and consequently Holy Writ which is composed in this language, cannot
speak of God otherwise than with expressions which properly and with truth can only
be spoken of man; yet Christ is so far from applying the expressions of anger and
revenge to God, that he rather attributes to him feelings of benevolence and love; and, on the subject of the conversion of
man especially, he is so far from encouraging
this idea, that he rather attributes to him only the sensation of compassion and
pity, and describes him as invariably disposed to forgive man, and to assure him
of his gracious and pardoning inclination.

We have a narrative of his in reference to this point, which may
supply the place of all direct instruction; I mean the story of the lost and returning
son. Since this narrative exhibits in the most correct view in all its parts the
manner in which forgiveness is sought and obtained, and as this instruction proceeds
from the mouth of Jesus himself, permit me shortly to mention it. 113When the Prodigal, disregarding the warnings and advice of his father, had plunged himself into a state of misery, which he
was no longer able to bear; when now at last sensible of his folly he repented, and took a resolution to return to his father
and solicit forgiveness; how does Christ pourtray this father, by whom God is signified? Does he
let the son intreat long for pardon and without success? Does the father in his anger overwhelm him
with indignant reproaches for his ingratitude? Does
he leave him in the agonizing doubt, whether he
shall find favour, or must return again to his
wretchedness? Or must he seek an intercessor,
who may soften the heart of the father and incline
him to forgiveness? Nothing of all this. The
tender father’s heart, as our Saviour paints him,
was never turned from his son; he ever felt his folly,
and cherished the warmest sympathy for him. Apprehensive of the distress into which he had thrown
himself, fearful only that he was for ever lost, and
constantly wishing his restoration, he hastens to
meet him on hearing of his actual return, spares
him every word of shame and remorse, heaps upon
him every mark of tenderness, and is elated with
joy that the lost one has returned, and his son supposed to be dead is yet alive. Here is no trace of
revenge and anger, here no change is perceptible
in the disposition of the father, who at all times entertained for him the tenderest affection. But 174so much the greater is the change, which takes place in the mind
and sentiments of the son. He fears lest his father should have no pity,
and rather be provoked and enraged against him; he doubts whether he shall be
able to prevail on him to pardon, and he considers how he may best more his
heart to compassion by the most penitent confession and the most modest request,
because he dares not hope for so easy a forgiveness for such offences. But how
is this apprehension shamed by the father’s treatment, whose unchanged heart had
ever been constant in its affection; and how the alarm of the son now appears as
the natural effect and the just punishment of such conduct!

Thus, my friends, it is with man and his Maker. No change takes
place in God, when he forgives, who always continues benevolently inclined towards
man, ever pities him when he transgresses his commands, and willingly affords manifestations
of his grace as soon as he amends; but man can with difficulty subdue that terror
of God, which his condemning conscience creates, and encourage in himself a filial
confidence towards him. And this confidence is entirely dependent on the actual
improvement of man himself. This must be so from the nature of the thing, and the
holy Scripture confirms it. As fear and trembling before God arises from the consciousness
of having done wrong and of transgressing his commandments; so this fear must necessarily
abate, 175as soon as that consciousness gives way, and a better one takes
its place; provided only that no unjust and simply human ideas are entertained
of God. Thus St. John also in the well-known saying, “We have confidence towards
God, if our heart condemn us not,” fixes the ground of trembling be. fore God,
plainly not in God, but in the human heart; and so it is also in the story of
the Prodigal Son, in which Christ represents pardon to be subsequent to the
return. Our own feelings also corroborate this truth. Who dares to look up with
confidence to God, with an assurance of his approbation, when he knows that an
evil heart, resisting the regulations of God, beats in his bosom, and that he is
able to do what he acknowledges to be unlawful without repugnance?

And thus it seems to me perfectly clear, that forgiveness of
sins cannot be a softening of the anger of God, to whom every angry emotion is foreign,
nor in general any change in God, the Immutable; but that it is a change in the
human soul, according to which it is convinced, or cheerfully renews the conviction
with application to itself, that God is gracious: and that this assurance of the favour and approbation of God, or, which
is the same thing, the conviction of
pardon, can only be cherished in our minds, and is only acquired, by effectual amendment.

Important as it is for us men to form correct notions 176of forgiveness of sins, and of the manner in which it is
obtained, it is equally important further to know what is its effect, in order to
guard against expecting more from it than it is really able to perform, and being
misled by these too high expectations into a pernicious carelessness. If we put
the question, “Why do we seek pardon for our sins?” I believe we shall all agree
in the answer; “That the penalties of them may cease, that we may again rejoice
in the favour of God, and may be peaceful and comforted in our conscience.” This
last is the result which the conviction of forgiveness affords, although a considerable
limitation takes place in the removal of the punishment itself. Certain as it is, that he who reforms may be assured of the
approbation and grace of God, much reason as he has to rejoice in it and in his better condition, confidently as he may
hope that God will not inflict on him extraordinary and arbitrary punishments from
a wrathful excitement, yet should we err exceedingly in believing, that all
the consequences of sin committed are taken away at the time of conversion,
and of the assurance of God’s favour, and that it can be looked upon as if it never
had been committed. This observation may appear singular, but a reflecting mind
will own it to be true; and it is much to be wished, that it were rightly understood,
and rightly laid to heart.

We may divide all the punishments of sin into two 177kinds; first, the natural, necessary, and inseparable consequences,
which never fail; and secondly, the discretionary chastisements which God may inflict
in addition and in an especial manner, either in this or in the future life, for
the amendment or the punishment of men. These last are immediately suspended, when
reformation takes place; since it is impossible that God should still and for ever
continue to punish a man who sincerely endeavours to please him, who is cured of
his thoughtlessness and his follies, and now strives to do right on all occasions.

To apprehend severity like this would be to destroy the nature
of God himself. But however true and undeniable this must be, it would be as great
an error to hope that the natural consequences are immediately and at once abolished
on forgiveness, and that therefore the sins could become as things which had never
happened. This will be best illustrated by examples. The young man who lavishes
the season of youth, and neglects the opportunities of informing himself, will he
not feel the consequences of his lost time and his ignorance, even when arrived
at an age when he has long acquired knowledge, and more justly estimates the value
of time, and has accustomed himself to greater diligence? Does repentance alone
remove ignorance? Can wishes bring back the past? Does the remembrance of it entirely
vanish from the soul? Are not rather 178these consequences and the sense of them of very long continuance? Is it possible, is it in the power of God himself, to remove
them? Or the voluptuary,
who has debilitated his body, enervated his mind, dissipated his fortune, and sacrificed
his civil advancement in society by a disorderly mode of life; will he, because
he is brought to a knowledge of his folly, because he implores God for pardon, and
is convinced that he has forgiven him, and will not eternally condemn him, will
he thus be enabled to annihilate the consequences of his way of living? Will his
enfeebled body be again invigorated? the lost strength again imparted to his enervated
mind, his impoverishment be at an end, and he once more be put in put in possession
of the prosperity which had been destroyed? Or rather, does not this condition
and the consciousness of it remain? Can this consciousness be relieved otherwise
than slowly and by degrees And can those consequences, even after complete forgiveness,
be otherwise than gradually, and perhaps never entirely, removed? Thus, therefore,
with some reflection, and from experience it is made clear, that remission of sins
delivers us from an anxious fear of God, but does not put an end to the natural
consequences of sin; and that we should expect too much from it, if we looked for
more than a conviction of the favour of God.

This contemplation, my friends, admits of the 179most important application, and is exceedingly rich in profitable
inferences, if we pursue it further, and are willing to make use of it for this
purpose. Permit me to call your attention to a few only of the instructive conclusions
to be drawn from it.

In the first place, let us impress this consideration deeply in
our minds, that remission of sin and its punishment is only obtained by amendment
of life. It appears, almost, as if no small number of Christians were of a different
opinion, and cherished the conceit, that nothing is requisite for this forgiveness
but for a man, when opportunity offers, to acknowledge his misdeeds, to confess
and deplore them before God, to believe in his grace, and only not doubt that he
is a gracious Father, and inclined to reconciliation. True as this is, and certain
as it is, that without confession, without repentance, and without trust in the
mercy of God, there can be no forgiveness; yet we should be mistaken, if we supposed
it to be attached to these alone, and that confession, contrition, and trust in
God, can cause the chastisement to cease. However we may view the divine punishments,
whether as discretionary or natural, in both cases the remission of them depends
upon effectual amendment. For how can God withdraw his extraordinary corrections,
which have no other object than to reform man so much sooner and more certainly
than the natural penalties alone 180can do, until their end, namely reformation, is actually gained? Can the use of medicinal remedies, with which this sort of
punishments is most
justly compared, be left off, before the sick person is perfectly cured, and these
remedies have had their due effect? It is the same with the discretionary correction
of God. And as to the natural necessary consequences of sin, will they or can they
be put a stop to by any thing else, but real amendment? Can the sick man be restored
by any other means than by discontinuing his excesses? Is the spendthrift extricated
from his difficulties in any other way, than by improved habits of life? Can he,
whose heart condemns him, rejoice in the grace of God, until his conscience
testifies, that he has forsaken the sins he used to commit, and practises the
opposite virtues?

The remission, therefore, of the penalties of sin by no means
depends on sorrow and good purposes alone; it is rather only the result of amendment,
which, however, is not conceivable, without that confession and repentance. Important
as this consideration is, especially for all those who deem a zealous improvement
of life less necessary than remorse and faith; yet it is equally dangerous to expect
more from forgiveness of sins, than it is able to perform. The times are past, when
excessive fear prevailed, and the times of levity seem to have taken their place,
when too much is 181hoped for, and even the removal of the natural consequences of
sin is expected, from forgiveness. For a great part of mankind appears to presume,
that they had no occasion to shun sin so much, because they could obtain pardon
and a cessation of punishment. They persist in their opinion, because, to speak
after their manner, they could at any time reform and receive forgiveness. Such
persons are surely in a dangerous error. For although they may be brought by repentance
and reformation to the conviction of God’s favour; although, when actually amended,
they have no reason to fear that God will for ever condemn them, and make them completely
miserable; yet will they be able also to remove the natural consequences of sin,
which continue after forgiveness? Will it be in their power to eradicate the consciousness
of their former follies from the soul, and to suppress the wish, ‘Oh that I had lived
otherwise, that I had acted more wisely?’ Believe it unquestionably, my friends,
impaired health is renovated, even after convalescence, but slowly and by a strict
regimen; poverty oppressed with debt is removed only by persevering and regular
industry; the reproaches of conscience are renewed by the memory, and many a consequence
of sin, however earnestly we may beg pardon of God, is never to be retrieved. Lay
that to heart, ye who think that a man needs only to intreat God for pardon, in
order to be delivered from the penalties of sin. 182Lay that to heart, ye who on this ground are so little
afraid of sinning; and may the reflection penetrate deeply into your souls! The consequences of sin last long after improvement,
they accompany us to old
age, they leave us not in death, they lessen our happiness even in the future
world. But we also, who have right notions of the forgiveness of sin, we
who know that it depends entirely on amendment, and that then a change takes place
only in us, not in God the unchangeable; and that God himself cannot abolish the
consequences of sin, and undo that which is done; we will not on this account believe,
that we have no need of humiliation before God, of confession of our faults, of
repentance, and prayer for pardon. Judge for yourselves, how worthy of man and how
necessary such a humiliation is. Even the best amongst us must confess that we stand
under God, the purest and most perfect Being; that we, like all rational spirits,
are bound to obey his commands, and that our welfare and happiness depend on obedience.
Who feels not this obligation? but who feels not also his deficiency, when tried
in the sight of this perfect and omniscient Being? Is the purest amongst us quite
pure? Is the best, one who combines all perfections in himself; or only one who
has the fewest faults? Have we not all manifold infirmities Do we not all stand
in need of improvement? And would one of us hesitate to pray, “Who can tell, 183
O Lord, how oft he offendeth?” “O pardon, All-gracious, pardon
my secret faults, and assist me with thy strength to improve myself more and more,
and to be constant in that which is good.” May this be our wish and our prayer!
And God, who cannot disapprove of such a prayer, will hear us, will bless us with
a sense of his approbation, and support us with strength to persevere in the good
path unto the end. Amen.